Tips for juggling work, motherhood

UPDATED 10:27 AM EDT Apr 25, 2014

Juggling motherhood with a job can be a very difficult task. While there is no magic solution to add extra hours to the day or make the situation easy, these tips can help make your day a little less chaotic.

Ask for help: No one can do everything themselves. Know when to ask for help, whether it’s to help with child care or to help with chores around the house or running errands.

Leave your child with someone you trust: Making sure your child is safe and in good hands while you are at work will erase a lot of stress. Make sure you are comfortable with your child’s childcare center or nanny, or that they are at a school that you like.

Plan ahead: To ease the stress of the morning, try laying out your child’s clothes the night before and getting all of his or her things packed that they will need at school or daycare. Also try to get yourself prepared the night before by pre-selecting your outfit and getting all of your work materials together.

Try not to feel guilty: Many moms feel guilty about going to work and leaving their child during the day. Try to give yourself a break and remember that you are working to provide for your child.

Keep your mind focused: When you’re at work try to focus on work issues and not let your mind wander into childcare issues. And when you’re at home, try to stay focused on your child and not on your work. This will give you a good separation between work and home.

Don’t take on too much: Working and caring for your child can take up your entire day. This might mean you can’t make elaborate meals each night, or clean the house every day, or volunteer to coach every single one of your child’s teams. You need to learn to do what you need to do and let some of the extra tasks go.

Be proactive: Make sure you are looking ahead at your work schedule and your child’s schedule so you can plan ahead to take days off to go on field trips, to attend games, or to be home for your child on days off of school.

Take time for yourself: Make sure you set aside some time for yourself to relax and clear your head.

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